The Truth about Violence: 3 Principles of Self-Defense

Sam Harris ^ | Nov 5, 2011 | Sam Harris

[bkopto]

...Although most of us are good at recognizing danger, our instincts often lead us to behave in ways that increase our chances of being injured or killed once a threat emerges.

Principle #1: Avoid dangerous people and dangerous places.

The primary goal of self-defense is to avoid becoming the victim of violence. The best way to do this is to not be where violence is likely to occur. Of course, that’s not always possible—but without question, it is your first and best line of defense. If you visit dangerous neighborhoods at night, or hike alone and unarmed on trails near a big city, or frequent places where drunken young men gather, you are running some obvious risks. SNIP....

Principle #2: Do not defend your property.

Whatever your training, you should view any invitation to violence as an opportunity to die—or to be sent to prison for killing another human being. Violence must truly be the last resort. Thus, if someone sticks a gun in your face and demands your wallet, you should hand it over without hesitation—and run.

SNIP Principle #3: Respond immediately and escape.

If you have principles 1 and 2 firmly installed in your brain, any violence that finds you is, by definition, unavoidable. There is a tremendous power in knowing this: When you find yourself without other options, you are free to respond with full commitment.

This is the core principle of self-defense: Do whatever you can to avoid a physical confrontation, but the moment avoidance fails, attack explosively for the purposes of escape—not to mete out justice, or to teach a bully a lesson, or to apprehend a criminal. Your goal is to get away with minimum trauma (to you), while harming your attacker in any way that seems necessary to ensure your escape.⁠

[SENTINEL]

Correction....I can carry concealed WITHOUT a license, not with.

[gettinolder]

Good post. From one Alaskan to another...

Like you, the .45 is my weapon of choice.

[KrisKrinkle]

Principle #1: Avoid dangerous people and dangerous places.

Understand that in doing so you may be ceding territory to those who will only want more in the future, eventually that which is yours.

Principle #2: Do not defend your property.

Understand that the right to have and hold property is basic to a civilized society and that defense of your property may be defense of your civilization.

Principle #3: Respond immediately and escape.

Understand that a sufficiently decisive response may allow a leisurely and safer escape.

[SENTINEL]

Did you see the Yahoo article that ranked Anchorage the 5th most dangerous city in America ?

It's getting nuts. The five incidents I mentioned....

1. Blood covered crackhead came into Chevron at Northern lights and Minnesota, threatening to stab the poor lady cashier. I pulled my knife, told him I was US Marine and we were about to have a serious disagreement. He dropped it. Found out later he had just stabbed another man critically in neck and arm.

2. Road rage, "gangsta thug" vs white high school kid at Spenard and Benson. Ran off when I jumped out of the car to go help the kid.

3. Drunk native beating wife on highway just south of Wasilla. Had to literally shove the guy off of and away from her, then hold him away with gun until cops arrived.

4. Drunk Native beating wife at "A" Street and 4th Ave. I shoved him down and she ran off. He was too drunk to get back up.

5. Illegal alien mexican was trying to sneak up behind me when I was pumping gas at near merrill field. I saw him and asked what he needed, he started into tirade, threatened to kill me and family as he stormed up. Like I said, my .45 point blank in his face shut him up real good.

I think it is foolish beyond belief to live in places where you cannot legally defend yourself or others.

[Iron Munro]

“You don’t shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.”
— Colonel Jeff Cooper

I don’t believe the government stats that show violent crime decreasing. I believe there is ongoing manipulation of data driven by political correctness.

I also believe that today there is a greater chance of becoming a target of hate based racial aggression. Thanks to Obama and Holder there is more pure hate and resentment walking the streets than ever before in our lifetimes.

Non-engagement tactics may work with attackers who are only after your car stereo, your billfold, or emergency cash stashed at home. But they aren’t likely to work as well with attackers who hate you for who you are and what you are.

Think about the recent race based attacks on whites during black street rampages like the ones at the Wisconsin State Fair in Milwaukee.

The general advice in this article to avoid high risk areas and situations is good. But we still have to live - we can’t hide in a cellar.

If you are in a corner or being attacked in your home there is no guarantee running away will improve the situation. In that case I hope you live in a state that has a “castle” law.

[Chode]

[bfree]

Now that is perfect!! LOL

[SENTINEL]

Say cheese !

[William Tell]

The problem with fighting when you could safely run away is that you might LOSE THE FIGHT.

A gun is not a magic wand. Having one does not insure that you will not be injured or killed.

Imagine the disappointment should you draw your gun and attempt to fire only to have your weapon jam, especially if you could have escaped in those same few seconds.

Imagine the disappointment should you draw your gun and fire, only to see the attacker still coming at you and now drawing a gun of his own which you hadn't seen.

Imagine the disappointment should you draw your gun and fire several times, only to see that your attacker was not alone but has two accomplices.

You are never going to have perfect knowledge of what is going to happen. If running away provides you the best chance of being in control of your own destiny, then that is the course to choose.

[marktwain]

Unfortunately, numbers 2 and 3, while of benefit to the defender in the short term, lead to societal degradation in the long term.

Fortunately, we are heading back to the default position of decades back, where the opposite of numbers 2 and 3 were rewarded by society as recompense for the risks involved and the societal benefit gained.

[musicman]

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[SENTINEL]

If you are defending yourself and yourself alone, that is a choice you entitled to make. If it is another victim and you run, regardless of the odds, as far as I am concerned you are a coward.

[skinkinthegrass]

LOL!

[Chode]

plus there's an old saying... RUN from a knife, CLOSE on a gun.

[gettinolder]

Chevron @ Minnesota and Spenard; my brother, unarmed because a neighbor had "shamed" him into leaving his .45 Kimber at home because of "kids".

Wishes he'd had it, could of held two "homies" who tried to steal his car after chasing him around vehicle, with a baseball bat.

Store manager called police, only took them two minutes, gangbangers long gone by then. Van was stolen.

Anchorage is getting bad, prime spot to help out just by being armed and ready, as your incidents show.

[real saxophonist]

I'll stick with the Colonel's Principles of Personal Defense.

1. Alertness
2. Decisiveness
3. Aggressiveness
4. Speed
5. Coolness
6. Ruthlessness
7. Surprise

[Secret Agent Man]

same with elbows

[Secret Agent Man]

4. Fight dirty as if your life depended on it. Groin. Fingers in eyes. Bite like hell. Head butt. Dislocate knee, elbow. Cup hands and slap ears full strength. Fingers deep into space between earlobe and jaws. Smash foot with heel of shoe to break foot.

Most vulnerable: Throat, groin, eyes.

[SENTINEL]

A good friend of mine was murdered a few years back. The cops and I know who did it, but no body was ever found so no charges....Scumbag murderer, who had already been pardoned by a former governor for attempted murder, just got his own reality show.

Details of Disappearance

Damon Bonds was last seen by friends on Saturday, March 27, 2004. His truck was found in the parking lot at Delong Lake on March 31. His dog was in the bed of the truck under a canopy, the doors were unlocked and his cellular phone was on the front seat, but there was no sign of Damon. The APD Auxiliary Search Team, assisted by a dog trained to find cadavers, hunted for Bonds in the area around his truck but found no signs of him. Damon's friends and family insist that he never would have left his dog, and are convinced he met with foul play.

[RedMDer]

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Freepers! Happy Thanksgiving! Let's get this done before that! Come on! Day 51 of the Freepathon and only 41 days until the start of the next. What will you do and where will you post if it goes? All contributions are for the Current Quarter Expenses. Click here or mail checks to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794